Listen to the Music
by offchops
Summary: A haunting tune appears on a breath of air in the night.....What significance does this sound have? and why has a stranger appeared in Middle Earth with no recolection of how she got there?? Please review! I need reviews to continue!
1. What's that tune?

Music rang about her ears; the sounds that were lovingly plucked from the guitar swam about the room like fish in water. As the song ended and she plucked the last note she gave a satisfied sigh. Music always made her feel out of this world, it calmed her mind and spirit like nothing else could. Placing the guitar in a stand to her right she proceeded to move over to her recorder, which was on an elaborately decorated shelf, intricate scrawls covered its surface looking almost like a weird sort of graffiti. Stopping the player she rewound it and lay back to listen to what had just been recorded. The song played hauntingly around the room once more, she had no idea where the idea for the music had come from, she knew the music so well yet had never heard it before. Her fingers had copied the notes from her mind and the product was a beautifully constructed song.  
  
Suddenly a yell emitted from the next room reluctantly jolting her back from a near comatose state. "Ashalind! Will you quit that racket and get to bed!"  
  
With a murmur of recognition Ashalind stopped the music and got ready for bed. While changing she glanced over at clock '12.00' she thought raising her eyebrows, she hadn't realised it was so late.  
  
Failing to fall asleep she lay staring at the ceiling, the music still playing in her thoughts. Starting to daydream (or nightdream as the case may be) she imagined music notes floating gracefully around the pale blue sky. 'There goes a D flat' as she looked on in amusement. Sometime within this dreaming Ashalind must have fallen asleep because she awoke later with a sharp jump. Ashalind couldn't remember falling asleep 'but' the thought, 'you never can'. A neon light illuminated the time in her clock, it was flashing '4.00' Groaning Ashalind rolled over trying to fool herself back to sleep, but it was impossible, her mind was now wide awake and, once again, the music was playing through her head. Restlessly turning over and climbing out of bed, Ashalind made her was outside. The white fluorescent moon hung in the sky, its light creeping everywhere except the darkest crevasses. Ashalind's feet padded softly over the damp grass as she made her way to her secret spot. Ashalind had treasured the spot since she was a little girl, it was a large overhanging tree located at the back of the garden. Making her way through the now dew covered branches, Ashalind settled back in a fork. Humming that haunting song she tried to lull herself to sleep. 


	2. I'm not here anymore

Although dozing, Ashalind was still acutely aware of her surroundings. Not far away in the branches Ashalind heard a rustle, she stopped humming her tune to listen. Without realising it Ashalind had also stopped breathing and was straining her ears for a sound. Upon hearing nothing Ashalind let out her breath in a heavy sigh 'Don't scare yourself stupid' she reasoned, 'There's nothing there' To prove the point to herself Ashalind resumed her humming, this time louder. Seconds after she had begun the rustling started up again, closer than before. To verify that there still was nothing there and that it was just her imagination, Ashalind's humming escalated in volume. She closed her eyes as she continued to hum, all the while trying to reason with her mind that there was nothing to be afraid of. Ashalind's stubborn streak prevented her from jumping out and bolting back to the house, her determination to beat what was making her to break into a sweat grew. While Ashalind was humming and wrestling with her mind, the rustling had been steadily growing nearer to her.  
  
Ashalind opened her eyes and looked up to where the rustling was coming from. Above her all the moonlit leaves were moving as if a wind were creeping through them. Although the breeze looked light it was giving an unnaturally strong pull. Leaves began to get pulled of branches as the wind grew in strength and speed. By now Ashalind had stopped humming and was gazing at the leaves in wonder. The pull became persistently stronger and Ashalind found herself being lifted from the notch where she had been comfortably sitting up into the leaves above. Still not thinking that she was in any danger, Ashalind let herself be pulled up into the greenery.  
  
Once amongst the vortex of swirling mulch, Ashalind felt the drag of the air begin to tow her limbs and hair outward. Leaves and twigs whipped her face and caught in her hair. Struggling was futile. She let herself be taken by the wind. The pressure of the swirling winds became increasingly overpowering, her shoulders felt like they would pop from the sockets, she head was screaming with pain as her hair was pulled from the follicles and her legs felt like at any second they would be twisted from her pelvis. Just when the force had become unbearable an agonised yell escaped Ashalind's lips and in the blink of an eye she was gone, sucked into the whirlwind above. The yell echoed into silence and the leaves, now devoid of wind, floated peacefully to the ground. 


	3. There's a stranger in my house..what do ...

Meanwhile…  
  
In a comfortably small hole in The Shire, a hobbit, namely Frodo Baggins, was peacefully relaxing by an open fire. Frodo was thoughtfully smoking his weed pipe as he stared at the fire. His mind was considering what had happened the night before. His much-loved uncle, Bilbo Baggins, had disappeared suddenly from his own birthday party. Frodo had suspected something beforehand but had never thought that Bilbo would disappear entirely. He knew that he would not be coming back. Bilbo didn't do things by halves. "I will miss old Bilbo," thought Frodo sadly. He continued to stare into the fire until his concentration was broken. A strange tune floated into the room. Frodo looked around the lounge, no one there. The tune abruptly stopped. Turning back to the fire Frodo wondered what the noise had been. The thought of having a look around did cross his mind but the pure hobbit side of him refused to leave the comfortable chair and the warm fire.  
  
Then suddenly the flames in the fire leapt and grew. Startled, Frodo sprung out of his chair. The haunting tune had started up again and outside the wind had started blowing a gale. The gust blew a Frodo's shutters making them band loudly back and forth. Frodo scurried over to the shutters and pulled them closed. The tune kept playing. The leaves in the outside tree began to spiral as the gust began to build up. Frightened Frodo stood with his back against the door, his breath becoming shallow. An agonised yell erupted into the air followed by a crash. The music stopped and the wind died, only a memory of the tune lingered. Frodo was torn between what to do. Half of him wanted to run and hide and the other half wanted to find out what the crash had been. Grappling with himself for several moments' one side finally won out. Cautiously Frodo opened the door, stopping to peer around the frame. Grabbing an umbrella from the stand next to the door Frodo tiptoed out to the large Elm tree next to his house. Nervously clearing his throat Frodo half whispered, "H – Hello? Who's there?" Not getting an answer Frodo tried once more, this time hoping to sound more intimidating. "Who's there? Tell me at once!" A groan emanated from the darkness, dismayed Frodo jumped back. "Why didn't I bring out a lantern?" thought Frodo scolding himself. "Mmmmm" another groan. Frodo needed light, "Now listen here you, just stay right there" he said as he edged back to his hole. Quickly grabbing a lantern from the desk he lit it and hurried back outside. Frodo moved closer to the spot where he had heard the groan and lifted up the lantern so as he could see.  
  
There lying at the base of the tree was not a what, but a who. Moving closer Frodo lifted the lamp so it would illuminate the strangers face. As the light fell Frodo gasped. Judging from the slender and delicate figure, this stranger was a she. Confused Frodo drew the light back. Would this stranger hurt him? She was obviously hurt herself, Frodo had seen in the light a nasty gash across her forehead was well as bits of debris lying across her. Frodo's compassion got the better of him. He moved next to the girl and lifted off a stout branch that had been lying across her hips. Only then did Frodo realise that the stranger was completely naked! Although through the darkness it couldn't be seen, a deep blush crept up Frodo's cheeks and promptly stayed there. Frodo took off his cloak and gingerly lay it across the girl. She would have been no taller than Frodo so there fore it was not hard to lift her. Frodo delicately carried her inside, being extremely careful not to bang her head on the door as it lolled back in his arms. He carried her into his room and set her down on his bed. Stepping back Frodo wondered what to do next. He could only stare at the unconscious girl in amazement. How his night had been interrupted! Never would anyone believe this, not even his best friend Sam. Frodo retreated back into his kitchen to try to think. Upon entering the kitchen his thoughts massed in his head. Was there any connection between this girl and that strange music? Between her and Bilbo's disappearance? He was to confused to make any conclusions. Frodo grabbed a cloth off his sink and wet it. In the other room he heard the stranger groan again, he rushed in to see if she were waking up. "No, still unconscious" he thought as he sat down beside her and started to mop up the blood on her brow. When there was nothing else Frodo could do he grabbed a blanket and went to sleep on the couch, seeing there was no way he was going to get into his own bed. As he lay down to rest, exhausted from the nights events, he wondered what the morning might bring. 


	4. Where the hell am I?

A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update, I just haven't got around to writing the next part. But to anyone who reviewed, here it is! And thankyou for giving me reviews, getting reviews is pretty exciting when it's your first fanfic, so thankyou and keep on reviewing. Oh and forgive me for any little inconsistencies in this, its about 2 in the morning. Well here you go.  
  
  
  
Pain. Throbbing Pain. Shrieking, stabbing, twisting pain was all that Ashalind could feel. Her limbs were on fire, her face stung and she felt bruised and battered. 'Oh God, please just let me die.' Never had she felt anything remotely like this. Nothing came close. Even opening her eyes hurt. 'But where am I?' Ashalind realised that she didn't know where she was. Blind panic grabbed her as she sat bolt upright, and doing so made her yell with pain. 'Dammit! What the hell happened to me? Why do I ache all over' Lying tenderly back down the panic continued to rise. Ashalind tried to calm herself down, but to no avail. How could you stay calm when you couldn't remember where you were or how you got there? Easing herself up into a sitting position, she felt the sheet slide off her and looked down. She was completely and utterly naked! She didn't even have socks on! 'Oh my God' she thought, pulling the white sheet up to cover her nakedness, 'Thank God no one is around to see me' The initial shock over, Ashalind looked around and surveyed her surroundings. She was in a small room, circular in shape, very quaint, whose room?, she was laying in a large four poster bed, whose bed?, there was a bowl with a bloody rag sitting next to the bed on a small table, whose blood?. This was too much for Ashalind. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and manoeuvred herself out, grabbing the sheet as she went. Padding softly over the wooden floors Ashalind made her way to the door. The doorhandle was in the middle of the door, 'Weird' she thought. Every step that Ashalind took she had to be careful not to cry out. Her panic had only made her pain worse. As she approached the door a voice made her jump sky high 'No, you shouldn't be out of bed, you need to rest' Ashalind whirled herself around to see, standing in a opposite circular doorway, was a small man in peasant like garb. Seizing the doorhandle Ashalind hobbled as fast as she could out the door. The rocky path outside causing even more pain to rocket up her already screaming legs. 'No! Wait! Come Back! You need your rest!' Ashalind continued to run not looking back to see if it was running after her. Her destination was a forest that wasn't too far off. She had seen it as she had hobbled out the door of the circular house, which was advantageously on a hill. Ashalind ran and ran until she reached the forest and collapsed heavily just within its boundaries. Her whole body was too exhausted to feel the full extent of her pain. She lay in between the twisted roots of a huge old tree and didn't budge. Not moving for a while gave Ashalind time to reflect over what had just happened. She had woken up in a strange house. A strange bed. And met (very briefly) a strange looking man. Nothing at all seemed the slightest bit familiar to her; it was like her memory had been wiped. Where she was or where she was supposed to be was unknown to her mind. She knew who she was 'Ashalind, Ashalind Yen' she reassured herself, but what was knowing who you were when you had no idea where you were, or how you got there, or why there were strange short men around?! Picking herself up and wrapping the sheet firmly around her Ashalind got ready to hobble on. To where was something she didn't know. Just anywhere away from here. As she straightened herself up she felt a piece of cloth fall from her head. Reaching her hand up she felt a rough bandage wrapped around her head. Pulling it sorely off she felt underneath the bandage a large gash across her forehead. 'So that's why my head hurts so much' she thought discarding the blood soaked bandage. Wandering cautiously through the forest it never once occurred to Ashalind that this world wasn't her home. Merely that she wasn't where she was supposed to be, where ever that was. Heavy trees were overhanging the path. The leaves glimmered as small shafts of sunlight shot through the branches. Ashalind could hear the calls of different animals echoing in the air. As Ashalind walked the forest around her became quieter. Birds had stopped twittering, animals has stopped calling and all was silent except for the slight rustle of leaves that came on the breeze. She didn't want to let the sudden silence spook her; she had to think rationally, clearly. Clutching her sheet around her Ashalind soldiered on. Along with the forest becoming quieter, the trees and foliage was becoming darker, richer. More alive. To her right Ashalind felt a distinct breeze; a breeze like someone was moving past you very fast. Snapping her head around Ashalind peered into the trees. The same breeze came now from her left. Ashalind stopped. What was this? She squinted into the surrounding trees, her breathing becoming shallower. Fear set in. Her heart started to race and leapt into her throat. She didn't think that she could run anymore, her legs were just too sore and her feet were already cut and bleeding. Not breathing, Ashalind looked behind her, her heart racing faster than ever. Any second now she was expecting some foul and hideous creature to jump out at her from the trees. Again from behind her she heard a creak, a sound like something stretching. Turning slowly around Ashalind came face to face with a dozen arrows. She stifled a scream. 'Who are you!?' the archer demanded 'I.I.' stuttered Ashalind. She could fell her head getting lighter and the colour draining from her face. Black patches began to appear in front of her eyes. 'Who are you!?' demanded the archer once again, 'Why have you entered our forest?' 'I.uh' the patches engulfed her vision and the light feeling in her head spread down the rest of her body as she slowly toppled backwards. Ashalind hit the ground with a 'thud'  
  
  
  
Please review! Cookies to anyone who does! Please! Reviews are my life and right now I don't really have one....  
  
@{offchops}@ 


End file.
